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| Science & Technology |
| USMC Soon To Be 'Breaking Wind Through Silk', Literally |
| 2011-04-21 |
| Next month, the Army is going to start sending the "ballistic boxers" to soldiers in Afghanistan, and the Marines intend for each of their troops there to have four pairs of the "protective undergarments," as they are formally known, before the end of the year. The heavy silk boxers, which look like shorts that professional cyclists wear, won't stop a bullet or shrapnel from an IED. But the silk can stop small projectiles like those kicked up by an explosion. "It is expected to prevent fine sands and particles that are thrown up by explosives, so that the tissue wounds are cleaner, less ragged and easier to treat," said Lt. Jamie Larson, a Marines Corps spokesperson. And since the silk is treated with antimicrobial agents, the boxers help protect injured troops from wound infections. |
| Posted by:Anonymoose |
| #10 Makes sense. My grandfather talked of how the Japanese used silk in WWII to hang down at the entrance of caves to protect the men. The Americans would shoot at the mortar and machine gunners and the silk would catch the M1 bullet, tumble it down the silk and have it drop harmlessly on the cave floor. They could see the silk sheet flip with each bullet. The Americans had to use HE shells to clear the caves out. |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2011-04-21 23:05 |
| #9 It is expected to prevent fine sands and particles that are thrown up by explosives, so that the tissue wounds are cleaner, less ragged and easier to treat... since the silk is treated with antimicrobial agents, the boxers help protect injured troops from wound infections. Considering that Marines tend to ignore the "little hurts" and that they're out in the field for weeks, it'll probably cut down on a lot of incapacitation due to infection. Not to mention making my FMF corpsmens' work a bit easier. |
| Posted by: Pappy 2011-04-21 21:27 |
| #8 Wikipedia: Genghis Khan was once said to have issued all his horsemen with silk vests, as an arrow hitting silk does not break it but ends up embedded in the flesh wrapped in silk, allowing the arrow to be removed by gently teasing the silk open, as opposed to the usual method of removing barbed arrows, cutting them out or pushing them right through an injured limb and out of the other side. |
| Posted by: Zhang Fei 2011-04-21 16:16 |
| #7 I thought crabs are lice? Unless they come from the ocean, in which case silky unmentionables aren't going to make a difference. ;-) |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2011-04-21 16:16 |
| #6 I'm going to silk. What about crabs or bedbugs? Can't help you there, JohnQC. ;-) |
| Posted by: gorb 2011-04-21 15:46 |
| #5 It's a movie I've seen 20 - 30 years ago, JQC. |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2011-04-21 15:27 |
| #4 because lice can't live on silk I'm going to silk. What about crabs or bedbugs? |
| Posted by: JohnQC 2011-04-21 15:24 |
| #3 the grunts were happy to find a load of silk underwear--because lice can't live on silk That's what I always tell people when they ask. The ruffles and frills are harder to explain, though. |
| Posted by: SteveS 2011-04-21 14:30 |
| #2 I remember watching a WWI movie where the grunts were happy to find a load of silk underwear---because lice can't live on silk. |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2011-04-21 13:36 |
| #1 GM spider silk or regular silk? |
| Posted by: Water Modem 2011-04-21 12:25 |